Agency areas of ASR district in Andhra Pradesh shiver as mercury dips, fog reduces visibility

Temperatures dropping in Agency areas of Alluri Sitharama Raju district, with tribal hamlets facing cold weather conditions.

Temperatures have been seeing a steady drop in the Agency areas of Alluri Sitharama Raju district. Many tribal hamlets have been facing cold weather conditions for the past one week. The temperatures are likely to drop further in the coming days.

Several interior areas of Araku Valley, Paderu, Chintapalli, G Madugula, G.K Veedhi, Munchingputtu, Dumbriguda have been recording 11 to 15° Celsius minimum temperatures since the last few days.

As per the readings provided by Agricultural Research Station, Chintapalli, in the early hours of November 11, Dumbriguda recorded 11.4° Celsius and Araku Valley recorded 12.2° Celsius. While Paderu recorded 12.5° Celsius, both the G.K. Veedhi and Pedabayalu recorded 12.8° Celsius. Similarly, Hukmpetam Chintapalli, G.Madugula and Munchingputtu have recorded 13 to 14° Celsius.

As per the locals, temperatures have been coming down from 5 p.m. and cold weather conditions are being experienced till 10 a.m. the next day morning.

Thick fog has been engulfing the villages by the morning. Motorists plying on the ghat roads and tribals heading to weekly shandies have been experiencing difficulty due to poor visibility. Tribals have been depending on campfires to beat the cold.

P. Vasu, a jeep driver and a resident of Paderu, said that most of the villages are recording less than 20° Celsius from 6 p.m. and it is dropping to around 12° Celsius by the night.

“Cold winds since the last few days have made the weather more chilly especially during the nights. By around 9 a.m., the visibility is getting normal. Public life is almost stopped between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m.,” he said.